The Seventh Wheel
by when-the-silence-ends
Summary: The words were burned into his memory, and as he spoke them out loud, and as everyone heard them, something inside him snapped.


**The Seventh Wheel (A Heroes of Olympus One Shot)**

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**Disclaimer:** I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, or THe Heroes of Olympus.

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**Author's Note:** _This one-shot was originally on a previous account, so if you recognize it that is why. This particular story has been edited. If you notice any typos or anything of that sort that I missed, please do tell me. Thanks, please do enjoy the one-shot. Also this was written right after The Mark of Athena, so there is no references from The House of Hades in this one-shot._

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They won, the camps are at peace, so why couldn't Leo enjoy himself?

A few feet in front of him, Jason and Piper, his two best friends, were hugging and kissing. They didn't notice him standing alone, of course not, it had been that way for awhile now. Why did he expect it to be different now and why should he? They were all safe now, why shouldn't they enjoy their time together, even if it meant forgetting him.

He moved towards the far end of the makeshift room; they were once again at Camp Jupiter. The Argo II was hovering over the city like it had at the start of their journey and everyone was gathered outside the Senate House just as before. They had made the area bigger this time, to make room for everyone from Camp Half-Blood. They were celebrating both wins, as he heard Chiron say. Though Leo didn't feel like celebrating anything. He leaned against the Senate House's wall, which unluckily had given him a perfect view of Frank and Hazel. Leo was envious of them all, he didn't have anybody to celebrate with, no one to live for other than his friends; who didn't realize he wasn't happy, that he wasn't okay. He thought at least Hazel out of all people would have noticed, or at least... What kiss him, that was a stupid thought, she had Frank; he was nothing but history, literally.

He moved towards the table of food, if he couldn't hug or kiss anybody, why couldn't he eat? He picked up a pastry, Leo didn't know what it was, and he didn't care either. He hadn't even taken a bite when he had somehow found the perfect spot to see Percy and Annabeth sticking their tongues down each others throats, effectively ruining his appetite. This was pointless, Leo thought angrily, tossing the pastry aside. He struggled to keep his mind blank, but of course he failed, the words he would never forget played back in his head. It used to be easier to push them back, to almost forget them. At first, he believed they were said to throw him off, but now he wasn't so sure.

_"And as for you, child of fire."_ _Nemesis said, turning to him. "Your worst hardships are yet to come. You always will be the outsider, the seventh wheel. You will not find a place among your brethren."_

Leo wanted to scream, the goddess was right, he'd never fit in with them. Jason and Percy defeated titans and giants, they're fighters, very powerful ones too; they are good looking, and just about perfect. Frank and Hazel, are powerful, smart and together, that bothered him more than he liked to admit. They had fought great battles, great enemies, they're warriors. Then there was Annabeth and Piper, warriors as well; Piper had charmspoke Gaea back to sleep, Annabeth is the only daughter of Athena to live after following the Mark of Athena, plus they brought the two camps together. And what did Leo do? He started a war between the two camps, built a ship and killed some monsters with some machines. Yeah, he found the scrolls of Archimedes, but who cared about that other than his brothers and sisters? Leo was overwhelmed with emotion, anger at the gods for doing this to him, sadness, loneliness and most of all uselessness.

He managed to make his way to the rope ladder hanging down from the Argo II. Once aboard, he wandered to the mess hall, where he sat down, and looked at the images of Camp Half-Blood through tear filled eyes. It was empty and that just made him want to go back there even more. Once there, he would go to the bunker and never leave. Wet hot tears slipped down his face. He really was alone. Even when he should feel joy, feel safe, he felt nothing but sadness and nothing even close to safe. Leo was a sobbing mess, he really had hit rock bottom. He had nothing, no one, his mum was dead, his dad was a god, his friends, he didn't belong with them; he was the seventh wheel. Somehow, Leo had pulled himself together before his friends found him.

"There you are!" Hazel said smiling though he must have looked like crap because her smile dropped when she seen him. "Are you okay?" Jason was quick to ask when he reached Leo's side "Yeah." Leo lied in response. "Just tired." Leo wanted nothing more but for them to leave. He needed to sort out his emotions before he could really face his friends. Obviously, luck is never on his side. "Everyone wants to hear about our journey, we were looking for you so we could tell our story." Percy explained, oblivious to the other's worry.

Leo cringed, which Hazel noticed though she didn't ask him about it. He nodded, and led everyone out of the ship. He sighed quietly as they took their place in front of everybody. He was afraid everyone would now see how useless he was. He did contribute as everyone told their part story. Afterwards campers went up to ask questions and even to congratulate them. Every person who came up to him always had questions about what one of the other six did, never about what he did. Though Leo wasn't sure what he'd say if they asked him any question about himself. The whole time he stood up there he would smile and answer their questions, the whole time he was acting like everything was okay.

_"You will always be an outsider."_

Leo tried, but failed miserably to block out the thought as another camper came up to him. This camper was Reyna, she gave him a small, tight smile, before she asked her question. "I was wondering, Leo was it? What was it that Nemesis had told you." Leo froze, he wasn't expecting anyone to ask him this. No, maybe he was hoping no one would. His cheeks reddened in embarrassment; they'd laugh at him when they heard what she had said. Piper agreed when she heard Reyna's question. she said she was dying to know. Everyone besides Hazel circled around him, they all wanted to know. Leo wanted to say he forgot, he seen Hazel's stricken face behind Reyna's curious one, and suddenly the words were out of his mouth before he could think better of it. "And as for you, child of fire. Your worst hardships are yet to come. You will always be an outsider, the seventh wheel. You will find no place among your brethren. Soon you will face a problem you cannot solve. Though I could help you for a price." The words were burned into his memory, and as he spoke them out loud, and as everyone heard them, something inside him snapped.

"Leo." Piper whispered, her voice breaking through the haze in his mind. "You don't believe this do you?" He didn't respond of course, he didn't feel like lying. He was already an outsider, already alone and useless, nothing else could hurt him now, not even the truth. "Leo you belong with us. I promise you that." Hazel said, her words cutting him like a knife and he flinched, remembering earlier; where everybody else celebrated and he didn't, and none of them noticed. "I'm sorry," He wasn't yelling, but his words silenced the group like he was. "I don't believe you." He pushed through the group and ran, tears falling down his face once more.

_"You are the seventh wheel."_

Leo shook his head, hoping the words would just disappear.

_ "You will always be an outsider." _

Leo stopped running, he was out of breath and he wasn't sure where he was. There was a temple in front of him, but he could see what one it was through his tear filled eyes. Leo started yelling and screaming at the gods and the fates, until his voice was lost. "Why?" He mouthed, his lips tasting of salt. "Why can't I belong?" He was on his knees, his head in his hands when his friends reached him. He collapsed onto the cool grass face first, he laid there crying. He felt broken and all alone, he felt like the seventh wheel.

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_I do understand there may be some inconsistency with the writing, because this is a mix of my writing style now, and when this was originally written. I do hope you liked this and I really would love to hear your thoughts on this particular one-shot. Thanks for reading. -Haley_


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